Episode 26: Treasure Island

Let's close out 2011 with a bang, mateys! We may be three months past National Talk Like A Pirate Day, but Josh is ready to walk the plank with that old scoundrel Long John Silver after watching the first full-length, live-action feature from Walt Disney Productions, 1950's Treasure Island. You know he's had some rough patches in the past with live-action Disney movies, but never fear, landlubbers: Josh found more than enough to enjoy with this old-fashioned adventure. So, if your timbers are properly shivered, take a listen to the new Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 25: The Muppet Christmas Carol

"It's in the singing of a street-corner choir, it's going home and getting warm by the fire. It's true, wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas." Who else knows those lyrics by heart? Admit it, you're a closet fan of The Muppet Christmas Carol, aren't you? With Christmas only 7 days away, Josh takes a look at the first Disney movie to feature Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and the other Muppets for this week's Mousterpiece Cinema. But he may have been most impressed by a human actor in this movie!(Think of the actor who plays Scrooge.) Cuddle up with your loved ones, eat some figgy pudding, and listen to the new Mousterpiece Cinema to find out what Josh thinks of The Muppet Christmas Carol!

Episode 24: The Santa Clause

Across the world, he has many names: Kris Kringle, Pere Noel, and Topo Gigio. But we all know him as...Tim Allen? Yes, friends, with Christmas two weeks away, Josh takes a look at another Christmas movie from Walt Disney Pictures on the new Mousterpiece Cinema: 1994's The Santa Clause. He may have liked it as a kid, but is Josh as enamored of this holiday classic as an adult? Do the special effects still impress him? And what does he think about the Cosby sweaters Judge Reinhold wears? Find out on the new holiday-themed episode of Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 23: A Christmas Carol

Some say the Christmas season is the most wonderful time of year, but there's at least one person who would disagree: Ebenezer Scrooge, that old skinflint from Charles Dickens' classic tale, A Christmas Carol. This week's Mousterpiece Cinema kicks off December by looking at the most recent adaptation of this story, from Walt Disney Pictures and Robert Zemeckis. Is Jim Carrey a great Scrooge? Does motion-capture animation work better here than in The Polar Express or Beowulf? What does Keystone Light beer have to do with any of this? Take a listen to an all-new Mousterpiece Cinema to find out!

Episode 22: The Muppets

It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights. It's time to meet The Muppets on Mousterpiece Cinema tonight! Yes, friends, after a 12-year hiatus, the furry felt creatures that sprung from the imaginations of such visionaries as Jim Henson are back on the big screen. Is the new movie a return to form? Are people too hard and cynical to enjoy this old-fashioned humor? To answer these and more questions, Josh is joined once again by Disney (and Muppet) aficionado Gabe Bucsko to get things started on this week's most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational episode of Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 21: Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, beauty and the beast. Yes, friends, just in time for its 20th anniversary, Josh takes a look back at the pinnacle of the Disney Renaissance, 1991's Beauty and the Beast! After the last couple of weeks, and with the holidays right around the corner, nothing could be better than revisiting this old-fashioned classic. But you might find a few surprises here, such as a discussion of the alternate 18-minute opening or Josh wondering about the origins of the Beast. You'll have to check out the new Mousterpiece Cinema, though; just make sure you don't go into the West Wing!

Episode 20: Pete's Dragon

What is the old saying? "The night is darkest before the dawn, but the dawn is coming?" That has never seemed as true as it does this week, when Josh sees what an ambitious failure looks like: why, it's 1977's Pete's Dragon, of course! Yep, friends, if you want another patented Mousterpiece Cinema rant, this is the episode for you. If you wanted to know what Josh's impression of hillbillies sounds like, this is the episode for you. And, if you wanted to know what it would be like to see something worse than Home on the Range, well, you may want to download this one. Next week, Josh reviews Beauty and the Beast, so that old saying is true: the dawn is coming!

Episode 19: Home on the Range

We've all heard the song "Home on the Range" before, but have you seen the Disney movie called Home on the Range? Oh, you might know about this movie, the 45th animated feature from Walt Disney Pictures, with Roseanne Barr and Dame Judi Dench as the voices of cows. But have you seen it? If so, you know there aren't any deer or antelope at play here. And Josh may only have discouraging words for Home on the Range, which was the death knell for hand-drawn animation at Disney for over 5 years. If you're a fan of rants about that, pop-culture jokes, and much more, you'll find plenty to love about this new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 18: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to hear something strange? It's Halloween time, and what better way to celebrate this spooky holiday than by watching the 1993 Disney film The Nightmare Before Christmas? Josh revisits this now-iconic stop-motion animated film about what happens when Jack Skellington, King of Halloween Town, decides that he wants to give Christmas a try, too. There's a bit of discussion about Tim Burton, too, so why not try out this show, right in time for the beginning of the holiday season? Everybody, sing! "This is Halloween, this is Halloween..."

Episode 17: Ratatouille

What kind of ingredients does it take to make a great podcast episode? For starters, make sure you have a great topic. This week's episode of Mousterpiece Cinema has just the movie to create a great episode: 2007's Ratatouille from Pixar Animation Studios. Next, put in two dashes of honesty, a pinch of analysis, and a sprinkle of cinematic pretension. (Hey, it's just a sprinkle.) The final ingredient is for you to listen and let the chef know what you think of this new episode! Bon appetit!

Episode 16: The Lion King

Hakuna matata, everyone! On the heels of its successful 3D re-release and Blu-ray transfer, Josh travels to Pride Rock this week and reviews The Lion King for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema! Listen to him rant against 3D transfers of old movies, rave about Jeremy Irons, and appreciate the Blu-ray disc for this 1994 classic on this week's show!

Episode 15: Waking Sleeping Beauty

This week on Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh discusses a rare type of movie indeed: a fascinating documentary about some pretty awesome movies. Yes, this week, he's reviewing 2009's Waking Sleeping Beauty, which is all about how such classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King were all made during a wild time at Walt Disney Feature Animation. If you love any of these movies, you'll want to check out this episode to hear what Josh has to say about the behind-the-scenes drama for each Disney classic!

Episode 14: Dumbo

This week, Mousterpiece Cinema takes to the skies, as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the fourth full-length animated feature from Walt Disney, Dumbo! What's in store is a very special episode, as Josh is joined by his very first guest, fellow Disney aficionado Gabe Bucsko. What did they think of the new Blu-ray for Dumbo? Did either of them shed a tear during the "Baby Mine" sequence? There's only one way for you to find out: listen to this all-new episode!

Episode 13: Atlantis: The Lost Empire

This week on Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh goes on an adventure to the lost city of Atlantis to discover yet another Disney movie he's never seen before! Yes, friends, this was Josh's first time watching 2001's Atlantis: The Lost Empire; he had to fight off mercenaries, mysterious undersea creatures, and other mystical beings, but he survived the experience! What did Josh think of this underseen movie? Is it a hidden gem or worth forgetting? You'll have to listen to the show to find out!

Episode 12: So Dear to My Heart

Hold your breath, everybody: this week on Mousterpiece Cinema, we're submerging ourselves deep in nostalgia with 1949's So Dear to My Heart, one of the first hybrid live-action/animated movies from Walt Disney and Buena Vista Distribution. This movie is meant to be a heartwarming story about family, friendship, and hard work, but was Josh's heart melted by So Dear to My Heart? Or did he not properly prepare himself for a movie whose fond look back at the Midwest in 1903 inspired Disneyland itself? Check out this week's show to find out!

Episode 11: Lilo and Stitch

Sometimes, posting a new episode of a movie podcast is as wild as watching the movie in question! This week may be the wildest of all, as Josh watches 2002's Lilo and Stitch and finds it harder and harder to post the show! Stitch may have gotten into the system, folks! Fortunately, you won't have any trouble listening to the show, as Josh recounts the experience of watching Lilo and Stitch, the laid-back story of a little girl who finds a friend in a small but fierce alien trying to escape to freedom. This week's Mousterpiece Cinema promises nothing short of excitement, that's for sure!

Episode 10: The Black Hole

Every once in a while, Josh takes one for the team on Mousterpiece Cinema. This is one of those times, as Josh descends into the madness of the 1979 sci-fi adventure The Black Hole, which didn't exactly blow his mind. If you want to know what really gets Josh mad, what frustrates him about some latter-era Disney movies, and how confused he got, check out this week's rollicking episode of Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode Nine: The Fox and the Hound

IMPORTANT UPDATE: A loyal listener of the show informed me (Josh) that a handful of old episodes--from when it was just me recording on my own, sans website or co-host--were missing from iTunes, so here's one of those, coming out of...let's say the Disney vault. Enjoy! 

Has it really been 30 years since Disney introduced us to Tod and Copper, a fox and hound who become unlikely pals? You bet, and Disney just released The Fox and the Hound to commemorate the anniversary. This week on Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh takes a look back at this unusual friendship. Was he charmed by Tod and Copper, as voiced by Mickey Rooney and Kurt Russell? (Really.) You may be surprised! Check out the show, and make sure to rate and review it on iTunes!

Episode Eight: Tron

IMPORTANT UPDATE: A loyal listener of the show informed me (Josh) that a handful of old episodes--from when it was just me recording on my own, sans website or co-host--were missing from iTunes, so here's one of those, coming out of...let's say the Disney vault. Enjoy! 

Greetings, programs! It's time to get sucked into the world of computers and video games as, for this week's episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh looks back at the 1982 action-adventure Tron. This was Josh's first time seeing the movie, so you may be surprised at what he thinks. Those 80s-era special effects may not be the biggest problem with the world of Tron, but you'll have to listen to this week's show to find out what Josh thought!

Episode Seven: The Rocketeer

IMPORTANT UPDATE: A loyal listener of the show informed me (Josh) that a handful of old episodes--from when it was just me recording on my own, sans website or co-host--were missing from iTunes, so here's one of those, coming out of...let's say the Disney vault. Enjoy! 

It's been 20 years since Walt Disney Pictures released The Rocketeer ("The Rocke-Who?"), and Josh rediscovers it on this week's Mousterpiece Cinema! You'll have to listen to the show to find out his full opinion, of course, but it's a lovefest all around! Watching Cliff Secord don a rocket suit in the Los Angeles of 1938 was so much fun, Josh couldn't help but gush. Check out this week's show for more!

Episode Six: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Josh begins a three-week sojourn into the world of Disney live-action films with 1954's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea! He's never read the book, and this is the first time he's seen the movie. Did he marvel at the Nautilus and the mysterious Captain Nemo? Is he more like the brash Ned Land or the pensive Professor Arronax? Will he be able to properly pronounce the name "Conseil?" (Spoiler alert: probably not.) Check out this week's Mousterpiece Cinema--it's a real whale of a tale! (Easy reference, but it works!)

Episode Five: Spirited Away

IMPORTANT UPDATE: A loyal listener of the show informed me (Josh) that a handful of old episodes--from when it was just me recording on my own, sans website or co-host--were missing from iTunes, so here's one of those, coming out of...let's say the Disney vault. Enjoy! 

This week, Josh takes a look at a whole new world of animation, from Japanese auteur Hayao Miyazaki from Studio Ghibli. Pixar honcho John Lasseter introduced Americans to Spirited Away in 2002; nearly ten years later, can Josh share Lasseter's enthusiasm? Does admiring something equal liking it? Is Miyazaki a modern successor to Walt Disney? Can river spirits be dragons? Find out on this week's Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode Four: Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Everyone else may be seeing Harry Potter's final hurrah this weekend, but Josh made another trip to the Hundred Acre Wood to see Disney's newest animated feature, Winnie the Pooh. You'll have to listen to know his exact thoughts, but Josh's tour down nostalgia lane did not disappoint! Make sure to rate and review the show, and subscribe to it on iTunes!

Episode Three: Cinderella

IMPORTANT UPDATE: A loyal listener of the show informed me (Josh) that a handful of old episodes--from when it was just me recording on my own, sans website or co-host--were missing from iTunes, so here's one of those, coming out of...let's say the Disney vault. Enjoy!

This week, Josh takes his first look at one of the fabled Disney princess movies, 1950's Cinderella. Is he charmed by Cinderella's mice friends, Jaq and Gus? Did he tremble and quake at the villainous Lady Tremaine? Will his love for cats make him love Lucifer the big, black cat? You'll have to listen to this week's show to find out!

Episode Two: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

It's time for another episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, where we walk down memory lane with Disney films of the past, present, and future. This week, with a brand-new Winnie the Pooh movie coming in less than 2 weeks, Josh takes a look at the 1977 package film that introduced the world to Disney's version of Winnie the Pooh and all of his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Yes, this week, we're talking about The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Did Josh like the movie as much now as he did when he was a kid? You'll have to listen to find out.

Episode One: Cars 2

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome one and all to Mousterpiece Cinema! This blog and podcast are all about analyzing the Disney movies of the past, present, and future. I'm your host and guide, Josh, and for this inaugural episode, I'll take a look at Disney-Pixar's latest film, Cars 2. If you're concerned that this show will be a constant Disney lovefest, this episode will allay your fears. But if you're a Disney fanatic, don't fear--I love the Mouse and always have!